Upper buffing device for vestibule face-plates.



- I. G. LAWYLER. UPPER BUFFING DEVICE FOR .VESTIBULE FACE PLA TES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.I6,19I5.

Patented Feb.

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JAMES Gr. LAWLER, OF ST. CHARLES, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAR AND FOUNDRY COMPANY, F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

UPPER BUFFING- DEVICE FOR VESTIBULE FACE-PLATES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

Application filed March 16, 1915. Serial N o. 14,854.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES G. LAWLER, a citizen ofthe 1United States, residing at St.

Charles, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Upper Buiiing Devices for Vestibule Face-Plates,

of which the following is a full, clear, and

exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formin"g part of this specicatio-n.

My invention relates generally to 'railway car vestibules and more particularly to the. means employed for maintaining the upper.

`portions of the diaphragm face plates. of

vestibules in proper position or in restoring them to such position when they have been displaced or shifted as a result of relative movement between the carsto which the diaphragms are applied as said cars pass over curves, crossings, and irregularities in the f track. y

Devices of the character to which my invention relates are usually known as upper bung devices for vestibule face plates, and generally include a spring, preferably of the semi-elliptic type, and composed of one or more leaves, which spring is interposed between the face plate of the diaphragm and the endof the car, and which, in service, is

`compressed and expands with the corre- -sponding movements of the diaphragm, thus at all times, maintaining .the faceplates of an adjacent pair of diaphragms in close yielding contact with each other.

The principal object of my invention is to provide comparatively simple and ineiipensive connecting means between the semi! elliptic spring, the diaphragm faceplate and" the vestibule structure, 4 which means is particularly effective" in resisting-'the outward swinging movement of the upper portion of said diaphragm face plate.

The connecting means contemplated by my invention includes spring bearings or brackets, each formed in` two parts and readily detachable in order to permit the spring to be easily and quickly removed and repositioned for use as may be required when the diaphragm or .parts thereof are undergoing repairs. v

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel yis attached to said face plate. vplan view of the diaphragm and its spring lfeatures of construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter, more fully described, claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which* Figure lis a front elevational View of the upper portion of a diaphragm face plate and Vshowing the brackets which serve as bearings for the upper bufling spring which Fig. 2 is a and showing one of the spring bearings or brackets in horizontal section. Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view `taken `through the center of one of the spring bearings orbrackets. Fig. 4 is an enlarged ver- Vtical section taken approximately on the line 4--4 of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a detail eleva`- tional viewof a portion of the rear plate of one of the brackets and showing one of the bolt receiving apertures therein.

mately on the line 6-.6 ofFig. 2. Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectionvtaken approximately lon the line 7 7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a side `vided, at its center with an encircling band 14, the same being fixed to said spring in any suitable manner, preferably by welding, and the rear portion of said band' is pro- Fig. 6 is 'an enlarged verticalsection taken approxivided Awith a vertically disposed rib 14aL which is preferably semi-circular in horizontal section. f Fixed in any suitable manner to the upper central portion of the face plate 12 is a plate l5 provided with a cen- .'trally arrangedv vertically disposed bearing '15a which receives the rib 14a on band 14, andthe lower portion of said plate 15 is providd'withfa horizontally disposed flange 15b. Hinged-to the Iouter end oftliis flangev is the lowerend of a vertically disposed bar 16, the upper end/of which is detachably secured in any suitablemanner, preferably by means of va. bolt 16a to the. upper end of plate ,15. This construction provides a firml support for thecentral portion'of the spring,

which support can be readily opened to permit the removal or insertion of the spring and the bearing a which receives the rib 14a permits the central portion of said spring to rock slightly as may be required in service, and at the same time, said spring is held against 'longitudinal movement through the bracket or support which comprises the plates 15 and 16.

The'bracket contemplated by my invention and which serves as a combined keeper and bearing for the end of the spring includes a base member 17, preferably in the form of a at plate which is rigidly fixed in any suitable manner, preferably by means of rivets to the vestibule structure, and the lower portion of said plate is bent outwardly and thence downwardly to form a portion 18 which is parallel with and offset from the main body portion of the plate. Formed through this oifset portion 18 is one or more rectangular openings 19 of suicient size to receive a bolt head and depending from each opening 19 is a bolt receiving lnotch or recess 20.

Hinged in any suitable manner to the upper end of each plate 17 is the upper end of a vertically disposed rod or bar 21, the lower end of which is adapted to overlie and bear directly against the offset portion 18 of plate 17. Formed through the lower portion of member 21 are bolt holes which are adapted to coincide with the notches 20 and Aseated therein are bolts-22, the forward ends the central portion thereof.

' permits members 21 to be swung outwardly n To release the ends of the spring 13 when it is desired to remove the diaphragmface plate, it is only necessary to remove the nuts 23 on the forward ends of bolts 22 and this and upwardly.

Vhen the members 21 are swung downward and connected to the base plates 17 by tightening the nuts 23 on bolts 22, the end portions lof the spring are maintained in proper position against the vestibule and inasmuch as the ends of said spring are thus retained, the upper portion ofthe diaphragm face plate to which the central portion ofv the spring is connected is maintained in proper operative position and held against outward swinging movement. To release the central portion of the spring from the diahinged at its upper end to the upper portionof plate 17a, and its lower end carrying a nut 21", which is positioned beneath the outwardly bent portion 17h. In this construcv tion a washer is preferably interposed between nut 21b and the outwardly bent portion 17".

In service it will be understood that the spring 13 .yieldingly resists the inward movement of the face plate 12 and during such action, the ends of said spring move freely through the spaces between the plates 17 and their hinged members 21.

While I have shown and described the upper buffing spring as being connected at its center tothe diaphragm face plate and spring end retaining brackets or keepers on the vestibule structure, it will be understood that the positions of these partsmay be reversed, that is, with the center of the spring connected to the vestibule structurel and the brackets or keepers secured to the diaphragm face plate.

A device of my,improved construction is comparatively simple, can be cheaply manufactured and installed, provides a substantial connection between the buing spring, the face plate, and the vestibule structure, permits the end portions of the spring to move freely in both directions as said spring is compressed and expands, permits the central portion of the spring to have 'slight rocking movement on the vertical axis, and in the event of repairs or renewal of the diaphragm or its parts, the hinged portions of the bearings can be easily and quickly released to permit the removal of the spring. y

It will be readily understood that minor changes in the size, form and constructionv plate, of a semi-elliptic spring secured to `one of sa1d elements, and spring retaining members ixed to the other element, each of which retaining members comprises a base plate and a keeper hinged thereto.

2. The combination with a railway car vestibule and vestibule diaphragm face plate, of a semi-elliptic spring secured to one of said elements, and spring retaining 130 members fixed to the other element, each of which retaining members comprises a base plate and a keeper hinged' thereto, and means for securing the free end of the keeper to the base plate. f

3. The combination with a railway car vestibule and vestibule diaphragm face plate, of a semi-elliptic spring secured to one of said elements, and retaining members for the end portions of said spring,

veach of which members comprises a pair of plates hinged to each other, one of said plates being rigidly fixed to the other one of the first mentionedv elelnents.

4. A diaphragm face plate spring retaining device comprising a bearing plate, .and a keeper hinged thereto, said parts being spaced apart to form a spring pocket.

5. A diaphragm face plate springretaining device comprising a bearing plate, a keeper Ihinged thereto, said partsV being spaced apart toform a spring pocket, and

readilyreleasable means for securing, thev free end of the keeper to the bearing plate.

'(3. A diaphragm face plate spring retaining device comprising a pair of plates hinged to each other, said plates bleing spaced apart to form a spring pocket, and

a spring bearing formed von vone of said plates.

7. In a device o the class descr1bed,rthe

gcombination with a diaphragm face plate spring provided with an encircling band, of a spring support comprising a pair of plates hinged to each other and'spaced apart so as to receive the band on the spring, and readilyr releasable means for maintaining said plates in closed position.

8. The combination with a'diaphragm face plate spring provided near its center with a vertically disposed bearing rib, of a comprises a pair of plates hingedto each other, and readily releasable means for maintaining said plates in closed position.

10. The combination with a railway car vestibule and vestibule diaphragm` face plate, of a. semi-elliptic spring interposed between the face plate and vestibule, and spring retaining members ixed to said vestibule and face plate, each of which retaining members comprises a base plate, and a keeper hinged thereto.

l1. The combination, with a 'ailway car vestibule and vestibule diaphragm face plate', of a semi-elliptic spring interposed between the face plate and vestibule, spring retaining members fixed to said vestibule and face plate, each of which retaining members comprises a base plate, and a keeper hinged thereto, and means for maintaining said plates in closed position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto allix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this second day of March, 191'5.

I JAMES G. LAWLER. Witnesses: l

W. VILLS, FRANK KISTER. 

